Capillary pen



July 11, 19330 G. s. BENQKLE! GAPILLARY PEN Filed April 14, 1951 Patented July 11, 1933 PATENT OFFICE GEORGE S. BINGKLEY, OF LOS ANGIEILIES, CALIFORNIA CAPILLARY PEN 7 Application filed April 14,

This invention relates to pens and particularly capillary pens of the character adapted to produce a'line on a suitable surface by melans of'ink or other pigment-bearing liq- U10. 1 7

An object of the invention is to provide a capillary pen of simple character, suitable for the production of a line on an appropriate surface by means of an ink or other liquid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and reliable pen which is fed by capillary action alone, and which may be easily cleaned and easily replenished with ink. Y

1 Another object of theinvention is to provide a capillary pen, the line-forming element of which is easily removable from the ink reservoir, and which may be easily and 'cheaplyreplaced by another when injured or worn out by use.

. In the drawing;

Figure '1 is a side elevation of the pen,

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the pen,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the pen,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lineforming element of the invention,

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the showing of Figure 4, and,

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4. V

In the typical form of the pen shown .in Figure 1, the essential elements are an ink reservoir 1, means 2 through which the pen may be attached to pen actuating mechanism (not shown) and a line-forming element 3 through which the ink is drawn by capillary action from the ink reservoir 1 and flows be tween the nibs or pen-points 4 to the surface upon. which the line is to be drawn.

Figure 4 illustrates a typical form of the line-forming element, the body 5 of which may be formed of thin metal, its sides being brought close together in the manner shown so as to leave therebetween a thin fiat capillary channel reaching from the top to the bottom thereof, and extending to the nibs 4. The nibs are shaped so as to move smoothly over the surface upon which the ink line is to be drawn, and are preferably so adjusted that they are a few thousandths of an inch apart.

1931. Serial No. 529,957.

One side of the line-forming element is preferably made somewhat narrower than the other, so that when this element is forced down into the ink reservoir against the slight resistance offered by the friction of this element against the inside of the ink reservoir, there will be no tendency to spring the nibs out of adjustment. Figure 6 shows this feature of the construction of the line-forming element.

In Figure 4 it will be seen that a solid filling of metal 6 is introduced between the walls of the body'on the side opposite the nibs 4, and in the upper part of the capillary space. This may be by fusing a drop of solder between the walls, or by other suitable means. The object of this filling 6 is to allow for the withdrawal of the line-forming element from the ink reservoir by means of pliers, without danger of affecting the adjustment of the nibs 4.

In order to hold the line-forming element firmly in place in the ink-reservoir, it is made a few thousandths of an inch wider than t inside diameter of the ink reservoir so that when inserted therein, the walls of the reservoir will spring enough to allow the line forming element to enter and hold the said element in place by friction.

In operation, the ink reservoir with its con tained line-forming element in place is attached by proper means to the pen in Contact with the surface upon which the record is to be made. A few drops of ink are placed in the reservoir 1, and enough in the upper end of the line-forming element to complete 1y fill the capillary channel 7 out to the point of the nibs 4 and down to the level of the ink in the reservoir. When so prepared, and the nibs 4 are brought into contact with a suitable surface upon which it is desired to make a record, ink at the nibs will immediately flow upon said surface, and as the pen moves will form a continuous line or record. This action will continue as long as any ink is left in the capillary channel 7, as its exhaustion by being drawn away to the surface of the record between the nibs will cause it to move up through the capillary channel 7 even after the supply of ink in the reservoir 1 has been consumed.

Cleaning of the capillary channel 7 between the nibs is easily accomplished by the passage of a slip of paper between the nibs from either above or below.

It is evident that this invention ma be employed in divers forms and applicatlons,

ed forplacement therein; said capillary pen including a body formed with a relatively narrow capillary channel extending substantially throughout the body length, and

nibs in communication with said capillary channel.

2. The combination with a reservoir for line forming liquid, of arcapillary pen adapted for placement therein, said capillary pen including a body having two side members slightly spaced apart and providing a capillary channel, and a pair of nibs in communication with said capillary channel.

3. The combination with a reservoir for line forming liquid, of a capillary pen for placement within said reservoir; said capilary pen including a body formed of relatively thin metal and bent to provide sides maintained in relatively close, spaced relation to provide a flat capillary channel between said sides, and nibs forming extensions of said sides and in communication with the capillary channel.

4. The combination with a reservoir for. line forming liquid, of a capillary pen for placement within said reservoir; said capillary pen including a body formed of relatively thin metal and bent to provide sides maintained in relatively close, spaced relation to provide a flat capillary channel between said sides, nibs forming extensions of said sides and in communication with the capillary channel, one of said sides being of greater transverse width than the other side, whereby when the said capillary pen is within the reservoir, the side of greatest width will engage the reservoir.

5. The combination with a reservoir for line forming liquid, of a capillary pen for placement within said reservoir; said capillary pen including a body formed of relatively thin metal and bent to provide sides maintained in relatively close, spaced relation to provide a fiat capillary channel between said-sides, nibs forming extensions of said sides and in communication with the capillary channel, and means between said sides of the body at a zone thereof for preventing collapse of the sides of said body at said zone.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a capillary pen including a body formed of relatively thin metal bent to provide two spaced apart side members, both said side members being formed with nibs at a zone thereof, and one of said side members having a greater transverse width than the other sic e.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a capillary pen including a bodyformed of relatively thin metal, said metal being bent to provide two side members maintained in slightly spaced relation to provide a flat ca illary channel extending throughout tl ie length of said side members, and a relatively non-yieldable material between said side members and in said capillary channel at a zone of said side members.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification at Los Angeles, California, this 14th day of March, 1931.

GEORGE S. BINCKLEY; 

